Device for packaging and dispensing ribbons, tapes, bindings, and the like



NOV. H E gs I i DEVICE Fog PACKAGING AN DISPE SING RIBBON TAPES, BINDINGS, A D

4 THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16', 1943 I7} INVENTOR.

I oeokeii H- ANDREWS Patented Nov. 11, 1952 DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DISPENSING RIBBONS, TAPES, BINDINGS, AND THE LIKE George H. Andrews, Hartsdale, N. Y.', assignor to Martin Fabrics Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 16, 1948, Serial No. 49,548

i 1 This invention relates to improvements in devices for packaging and dispensing ribbons, tapes, bindings and the like.

Heretofore, ribbons, tapes and bindings have been wound on spools or reels which are usually kept in open display and are frequently handled and inspected. Obviously, the free end of the wound ribbon has a great tendency to work loose .and unwind with resultant kinking and snarling of the end of the ribbon, particularly when a length of ribbon is removed for sale to the consumer.

"Accordingly, it is the primaryobject of the invention to provide a device for holding ribbons and the like which will prevent the ribbon from unwinding during normal handling and inspection and which will simultaneously allow lengths of ribbon to be withdrawn in a convenient manner as required.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated which is of simple construction and which may be produced easily and economically.

The objects of the invention are achieved by providing a reel or spool having an intermediate core or winding portion defined between a pair of disc-like end members with'cap members engageable over'said end members. The cap members may be secured over said end members frictionally or by means of adhesive and are formed with annular peripheral flanges extending inwardly for some distance over the core or winding portion of the reel with the inner edges of the flanges spaced apartfor a distance less than that of the width of the ribbon or tape wound on the core. As a result of this arrangement the free end of the ribbon, tape, binding or the like wound upon the core of the device will be constricted between the opposed edges of the peripheral flanges of the cap members, thereby preventing unwinding and kinking of the end of the material. Where the material is relatively narrow, the advantages of the invention may be realized utilizing only a single cap member the free end of the material being constricted and frictionally retained against unwinding between the edge of the peripheral flange of the cap member and the opposite end-disc of the reel. The device is preferably provided with an axial bore so that a plurality of the devices may be mounted rotatably in stacked relationship on pins fastened to a counter or table in order to conveniently remove lengths of ribbons or other material from a given reel or reels.

The novel ma u es oi t e invention will be 2 Claims. (01. 242--70) readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates by way of example preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

Fig.1 is an exploded perspective view of a device embodying the features of the invention and illustrates the reel or winding portion of the device and the cap members therefor;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the assembled device;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the cap members being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a modification of the device employing a single cap member, the cap member being shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of the devices mounted rotatably on supporting pins fastened to a table or counter.

- Referring now to the drawings in greater detail; I 0 designates a ribbon, tape, binding or other material coiled about the winding core of a reel or spool l I having disc-like ends l2. Reel Il may be made from any suitable material such as wood, paper, cardboard and the like and discs 12 may be secured to the core of the reel in any suitable mannerfias by wire staples l3, adhesives,

etc.

Cap members 14 having peripheral annular flanges l5 are applied over the end-discs l2 of reel l I after the ribbon in has been wound there on, said cap members being secured by means of frictional engagement with discs l2 or by means of adhesive. Asfclearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the anular flanges l5'extend inwardly over the coiled ribbon It thereby preventing the ribbon from unwinding. Furthermore, if a length of ribbon from unwinding; Furthermore, if a length of ribbon is extended from the reel II for measurement prior to removal from the ribbon coil, the end of the ribbon adjacent the reel being of greater width than the distance between the inner edges of the'flanges IE, will be constricted between the opposed edges of annular flanges id of cap members I 4 to be frictionally retained therebetween and to effectively prevent accidental unwinding of the ribbon both during the measuring operation and after the measured length of ribbon has been cut from the ribbon coil.

Where'the ribbon or other material retained by the device is relatively narrow the advantages of the invention may be realized while employing a single cap member l4, secured over one of the discs I2 of reel II, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In this modification the free or protruding end of the ribbon will be constricted between the edge of the peripheral flange l5 and the opposite disc l2 to prevent kinking and unwinding of the ribbon coil.

Reel II is preferably provided with an axial bore It, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the device may be rotatably mounted on a supporting spindle or pin to facilitate removal of measured ribbon lengths.

A convenient arrangement of a plurality of devices is shown in Fig. 5. The devices may be mounted rotatably in stacked relationship on a table or counter I! having a plurality of pins or spindles l8. Lengths of selected ribbon :or other material may be played off of the reel I l of the device and conveniently measured prior to removal from the coiled material. Moreover, by reason of the novel arrangement of the invention, pulling the free end of coiled material will not result in excessive slackening and unwinding of the material with concomitant kinking and snarling, which are inherent and undesirable disadvantages of conventional reels and spools.

It is emphasized that this disclosure is given by way of example and not by way of limitation and that the invention lends itself :to a variety of expressions within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a ribbon of a device for holding and dispensing said ribbon, comprising a reel having a core of substantially the same Width as the ribbon, said core being located between a pair of disk ends of larger diameter than the core, at least one of said ends being fitted about the periphery of the reel-end on extending inwardly for some distance and over the core, said cap having a second flange lying at substantially right angles to the first flange, said second flange extending over and being in contact with the marginal edge portion only of the outer face of the end of the reel over which the cap is fitted, the circumjacent flange closely fitted about the periphery of the reel-end on which it is fitted to thereby prevent rotative movement of said cap on said reel-end, said circumjacent flange cooperating with the opposite reel-end to define a ribbon-withdrawal aperture between said flange and said opposite end of less width than the width of the ribbon wound on the reel whereby the ribbon will be flexed upon its withdrawal through said aperture between the edge of said flange and the opposite end of the reel and thus be prevented from accidentally unwinding from the reel, the flange extending over the outermost winding of the ribbon and confining said winding wholly behind it without applying traverse compression on said winding while so retaining the same.

2. The combination with a ribbon of a device for holding and dispensing said ribbon comprising, a reel having a, core of substantially the, .same width as said ribbon, located between a pair of end disks, the disksbeing larger in diameter than the core, a pair of separate caps removably and non-rotatively fitted over the end disks and non-rotatively held on said disks by frictional engagement therewith, each of the caps having a flange lying flatwisely against the outer face of the marginal edge portion of the disk over which .said -nap is fitted, said flange defining a central opening through which the greater portion of the disk which it overlies is exposed, each of the caps being also provided with an inwardly-extending flange extending around the core and over the ribbon-like ma- .terial wound thereon, the inwardly-extending flange closely fitting around the edge of the disk over which it is placed to thereby frictionally and non-rotativel-y retain the cap .on said disk, the inwardly-extending flanges on the caps defining a ribbon-withdrawal aperture between them of less width than the width of the ribbon wound on the core, thereby requiring flexure of the ribbon .to withdraw the same through said aperture and cause the edges of said ribbon to be frictionally engaged by the edges of said inwardly-extending flanges to thus prevent the ribbon frombeing accidentally unwound from the reel, the flanges extending over and on the outside of the outermost winding of the ribbon and confining said winding wholly in back of them without applying any compression on said winding while so retaining the same.

GEORGE H. ANDREWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 218,998 Millner Aug. 26, 1879 306,902 Conover Oct. 21, 1884 1,454,429 Dresser May 8, 1923 1,526,007 Mills Feb. 10, 1925 1,756,771 Watson Apr. 29, 1930 1,783,339 Mitchell Dec. 2, 1930 2,400,024 Roehrl May 7, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,978 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1893 

